- This development is primarily driven by price increases, while total sales volumes are declining.
- NIQ and GfK combine their data to provide a holistic insights into the FMCG and T&D market throughout the Netherlands.
Amstelveen – March 14, 2024 :
Consumer spending on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) as well as tech and durables products (T&D) increased by 6 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, amounting to a market total of 78.6 billion euros in 2023. The higher spending was driven in particular by price increases for food and drugstore products, while at the same time a premiumization can be observed for T&D products. The new NIQ Retail Spend Barometer aggregates data from both NIQ and GfK to measure the turnover of FMCG and T&D products sold in retail in the Netherlands.
The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer provides a complete overview of spending in the FMCG sector (everyday products, such as perishable and non-perishable food, beverages and drugstore products) and in the T&D sector (technical consumer goods, household appliances, DIY and clothing) in the Netherlands. Based on real sales data, this cross-category and cross-channel big data overview is the first of its kind to date and will be published quarterly in the future.
FMCG: Falling volumes, rising prices, but selective willingness to pay more
In 2023, consumers in the Netherlands spent a total of 7.9 percent more on FMCG products than in 2022, although the total volume sold in the same period fell. The reason for the decline in sales volume is a recovery back to normal from the heavily COVID-influenced volumes during the year 2022. In 2023, after the pandemic, out-of-home and on-the-go consumption increased again, and consumers bought less from FMCG retailers. Inflation also played an important role in 2023: Sales growth has mainly been achieved due to rising prices and was significantly higher in the first half of 2023 than in the second half of the year due to inflation. Prices in supermarkets grew by 12.4 percent. One example is cooking oil, which experienced cumulative price increase of 55 percent over the course of two years. Due to the price increase, shoppers are dedicating a larger percentage of their FMCG spendings to essentials such as bread (15 percent value growth) and dairy products (12 percent revenue growth).
Consumers reacted to the higher prices by adapting their shopping behaviour. They are paying more attention to discount campaigns andthey are opting for the retailers’ private labels, which are usually cheaper. In addition, (soft) discount stores are gaining market share.
At the same time, the data of 2023 showed that consumers are prepared to pay a higher price for products with added value. This applies in particular to innovative, environmentally friendly items or products with a “Good for You” claim. These include, for example, milk drinks, desserts or chilled dairy products with the product claim “high in protein” or foods that are free from sugar, lactose or gluten.
Tech products: Growth possible through innovation
Overall, retail spending in the T&D sector in 2023 increased by 1.5 percent compared to the previous year, driven primarily by growth in household appliances (2 percent) and other items (5 percent), including clothing, bicycles, e-bikes and other smaller categories. By contrast, technical consumer goods experienced a 1-percent decline in sales, due to market saturation in important categories such as TVs, PCs and laptops that were purchased during the pandemic and do not yet need to be replaced.
Innovation played a major role for tech products. In contrast, smaller household and personal care appliances experienced growth driven by premiumization: Innovative products such as handheld vacuum cleaners (26 percent revenue growth), or modern hair styling appliances (10 percent revenue growth) were able to establish themselves on the market, with consumers prepared to pay a higher price for these innovations. In addition, premiumization was also occurring in electric toothbrushes category (17 percent revenue growth)
Combined data enables comprehensive insights
“The Full View™, as shown by the NIQ Retail Spend Barometer, offers retailers and manufacturers a 360-degree view of the market. We were, for example, able to use the aggregated data to prove that the high price increases for oil have led to a decline in total sales volumes. At the same time, sales of hot-air fryers, which use less oil, increased. This in turn opened up opportunities for snacks for air fryers,” says Jasper Bins, Retail Vertical Director Benelux, NIQ and GfK. “With this comprehensive overview, retailers and manufacturers can recognize opportunities in the market early on and adapt their strategy accordingly so as not to miss them.”
“Market dynamics and consumer behavior are changing ever faster. In a competitive environment, fragmented data and a dose of gut feeling are no longer enough,” says Michael McLaughlin, President, Global Retail at NIQ. “That’s why we use The Full View™ to offer our clients with a comprehensive, data-driven understanding of market developments and clear, actionable recommendations for future growth.”
For more information, please visit NIQ Retail Spend Barometer (nielseniq.com).
About the study
The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer examines consumer spending on FMCG and T&D products in Netherlands. It tracks real sales figures and measures changes in past purchase trends. The FMCG categories covered include food, groceries, perishables and near-food, and the T&D categories include technical consumer goods, household appliances ,DIY and clothing. The data comes from NielsenIQ and GfK retail market measurement, which together measure the sales of over 350,000 retail partners worldwide.
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About GfK – An NIQ Company
GfK has earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Together, we fuel client’s growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ and GfK deliver the Full View™.
For more information, visit GfK.com
About NIQ
NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ delivers the Full View™.
NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.NIQ.com.
